A cougar peers over a resting platform in his hillside exhibit. Nashville Zoo has two male cougars. Brothers rescued after their mother was poached. Traci Kimble / Submitted

The Flamingo Lagoon is a popular picture location for many of our guests. As the weather turns cooler, flamingos flock will continue to bask and bathe in their exhibit. Linae Byrd / Submitted

. A mother kangaroo grazes while her baby (called a joey) learns the ins and outs of his new world. Guests can see this mother and joey inside Nashville Zoo's walk-through Kangaroo Kickabout. Wendy Martinie

. A Triton Cockatoo flexes her head feathers inside the Zoo's Kangaroo Kickabout. This species of cockatoo is distinguished by a light blue ring around the eyes. Emilee James / Submitted

A green basilisk peers around a tree inside the Zoo's Unseen New World exhibit area. This species has the ability to run short distances on top of water earning the nickname 'Jesus Christ Lizard'. Austin Bass

A male Siamang grooms his mate at the Nashville Zoo's Gibbon Islands habitat. Primates will often groom each other for social and hygiene purposes. Emily Helm

Clouded Leopards are arguably one of the 'signature' animals at Nashville Zoo. Since 2000, they have partnered with zoos around the world to develop collaborative breeding programs and field monitoring projects in this species' native home of Thailand. Kevin Smith

A Siamang calls out from her Gibbon Island habitat. Siamangs are the largest in the gibbon family and have a throat sac used to amplify vocalizations which guests can hear throughout the day. Regina Dennis

A Sulcata tortoise yawns inside the Zoo's interactive Shell Station exhibit. Here, guest can sit and mingle with about a dozen of these African reptiles. Becca Norton / Submitted

Last week, a mother and baby two-toed sloth were introduced into the Unseen New World Aviary at the Nashville Zoo. Since then, Edith has been exploring the tree-top canopy with Emmett clinging tight to her belly. Patricia Fields

A black-spotted barbet checks out the lunch buffet inside the Nashville Zoo's Unseen New World Aviary. Eric Moore

. Two red river hogs root through their habitat located near our former elephant habitat. Red river hogs are native to the forests, savannahs and swamps of Western and Central Africa. Shivaling Nimbargi

The black furred Siamang are often high in the trees with a bright sky behind them. Kristi Harsh

Kangaroos aren’t the only animals you will see in our Kangaroo Kickabout. This is also the home of four triton cockatoos, a subspecies of the sulfur-crested variety found in New Guinea and surrounding islands. Becca Norton

A yellow-blotched map turtle native only to a small river system in southern Mississippi. The species is listed as vulnerable due to declining populations from hurricanes and low reproductive output. Penny Schweizer

Clouded leopards are one of the most noticed animals at Nashville Zoo. Guests can see them inside the Bamboo Trail section. In the wild, clouded leopards are officially listed as vulnerable due to direct exploitation for pelts as well habitat loss and fragmentation. Rachel Baldwin

Nashville Zoo guests love to take photos of the flamingos. Who can blame them? The Flamingo Lagoon exhibit often offers a very close look at the zoo's Caribbean flamingos. Ashley Claggett

Nashville Zoo guests love to take photos of the flamingos. Who can blame them? The Flamingo Lagoon exhibit often offers a very close look at the zoo's Caribbean flamingos. Akasha Matulin

A dwarf caiman welcomes guests inside the Nashville Zoo's Unseen New Word area. This is the smallest species of crocodile, and is native to the rivers of South America. Barbary Finley

A lorikeet finds interest in a guest’s iPhone inside our Lorikeet Landing exhibit. This free-flight aviary features more than 50 lorikeets that will occasionally land on shoulders, heads or any other interesting surfaces. Shivaling Nimbargi

Zoo guest Valerie Porter gets a close-up shot of Tony, our Hyacinth Macaw. Tony and some other animals can be seen during the Zoo’s Animal Encounter programs. Valerie Porter

Guests gather outside the Zoo’s Membership Building in our new Entry Village. On Saturday, the Zoo officially opened the new entrance including a ticketing building, rental area, gift shop, restrooms, first aid and private rooms for nursing moms. Peter Meadows

A red-ruffed lemur suns himself atop a perch inside his habitat. This behavior is a popular pastime for many of the 101 different lemur species native to the island nation of Madagascar. Ashley Claggett

A Sulcata Tortoise notices the camera lens of Zoo guest Stephanie Shepherd. Folks visiting the Zoo can mingle with about a dozen of these tortoises inside our new “Shell Station”. Stephanie Shepherd

Lorikeets aren’t the only birds you can spot in the Nashville Zoo's Lorikeet Landing exhibit. This Eastern Plantain-eater also resides inside the walk-in aviary. While lorikeets are from Australia, plantain-eaters are from Africa. Pete Zaharopoulos

Week. Guests to the Zoo sometimes get a chance to experience creatures at very close range like this opossum held by one of our zookeepers. Animal encounters like this also include macaws flying through our pathways. Mary Beth Kirchhofer

A meerkat stands watch inside her habitat. Meerkats live in groups called mobs. Each meerkat has a job within the group including sentry duty. L’Oreal Terry / Submitted

Brazilian Cave Frogs for leap day. You saw that coming. Did you know leap day comes every 4 years unless that year is also divisible by 400? That means we won’t have a leap day in the year 2100. At the rate frog species are going extinct, finding one in the wild in 2100 may be very difficult. Rachel Hudgens

The Nashville Zoo’s property occasionally reveals a bit of its history. Over the years old, abandoned farm equipment has been discovered throughout the zoo's 188 acres. You can see the collection at the zoo's Grassmere Historic Home and Farm. Angela Hickman

. An eyelash viper coils on a branch shortly after a misting bath. Eyelash vipers are a relatively small pit viper species native to Central and South America. LKisa Powers / Submitted

Guest visiting the Nashville Zoo's Flamingo Lagoon can often get extreme close up shots of the flamingos because the flock is familiar with a steady stream of curious onlookers Leah Todd

The Nashville Zoo's adult male Masai giraffe shows off his lumps. As male giraffes age, their skulls become heavier and form calcium deposits to aid in fighting other males. Pete Zaharopoulos

A kangaroo joey peeks out of her mother’s pouch at the Nashville Zoo. This image was taken by Zoo guest Jodi Simpson just a few weeks ago before the nasty weather set in. Jodi Simpson

A green basilisk lizard basks in the light of one of the Zoo’s river tanks inside the Unseen New World exhibit. This species is also known as the Jesus Christ lizard because of its ability to run on water. Todd Cyphers / Submitted

A barn owl cocks her head to better assess her object of interest. Owls don’t have the ability to move their eyes like you and I. They must move their whole heads to get a different perspective. Rachel Hudgens

A black-and-white closeup photo taken by a Nashville Zoo guest features one of the zoo's zebras. Molly Ostman / Submitted by Nashville Zoo

Nashville Zoo volunteer Quentin Thompson focuses on the golden eye of a waxing monkey frog inside the Unseen New Word exhibit. In 2016, the Zoo’s Picture of the Week program will feature great shots taken by our guests. Submissions can be sent to pr@nashvillezoo.org. Quentin Thompson

Paddy, a male white-cheeked gibbon, surveys his habitat. This past fall Paddy (11) was introduced to his mate Singwah (18). Nashville Zoo is hoping to breed white-cheeked gibbons as part of the Association of Zoo’s and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan. Amiee Stubbs

The Nashville Zoo's Eurasian eagle owl poses on a stump at one of the “Animal Encounter” areas. This is one of the largest species of owl in the world and is native to forested areas in Europe and Asia. Amiee Stubbs

A Caribbean flamingo bathes on an autumn day. The Nashville Zoo's flamingo collection is very tolerant of cooler weather, meaning guests can see them on all but the coldest of days. Amiee Stubbs

A red panda nibbles on bamboo leaves inside her habitat located along our Bamboo Trail. Red pandas are native to the Himalayan Mountains and thus prefer these cool November days. Amiee Stubbs / Submitted

Nashville Zoo's newest Masai giraffe, named Nasha, came from Cincinnati Zoo. She joins three other Masai — Congo, Margarita and Enzi. All four can be seen on exhibit when weather conditions are good. Amiee Stubbs

A saddle-billed stork wades in the shallows of a pond near the Zoo’s meerkat exhibit. This native of Sub-Saharan Africa is the tallest of all storks. That yellow skin on top of its bill is actually called a “lappet”. Amiee Stubbs

Not all birds found in our Lorikeet Landing are brightly colored Australian lorikeets. This plantain-eater, native to Africa, can also be spotted hanging out in the treetops the Nashville Zoo's popular walk-in aviary. Amiee Stubbs

A female white-cheeked gibbon scans the park while perched high in a sycamore. She is one of two different species of gibbons you can see on our Gibbon Islands exhibit. Amiee Stubbs

A female ostrich keeps watch in the Nashville Zoo's African Plains exhibit. The zoo's three ostriches (one male and two females) live with several hooved animals including springbok, bontebok, zebra and eland. Amiee Stubbs

A red kangaroo lounges on her back inside the Nashville Zoo's Kangaroo Kickabout. Guests can achieve up-close shots like this as they walk through the popular kangaroo habitat. Margarita Woc Colburn / Nashville Zoo

A female Baird’s tapir explores her habitat at the Nashville Zoo while two crested screamers look on. Baird’s tapirs are native from Mexico down to northern areas of South America. The screamers are found further south into the central and southern parts of South America. Amiee Stubbs

Margarita, a female giraffe stands with her newborn calf. The Nashville Zoo is asking guests to vote for the calf’s name by donating old blue jeans. The name choices are:
• Mkali – Swahili for “bright”
• Mahali – Swahili for “spot”
• Enzi – Swahili for “powerful”
All donated jeans will go a giraffe conservation initiative called Jeans for Giraffes. Amiee Stubbs

A clouded leopard cub takes a break from playing in his outdoor yard. Guests can see two clouded leopard cubs on exhibit at the Nashville Zoo from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays (weather permitting). Amiee Stubbs

The Komodo dragons introduced to Nashville a year ago have outgrown their indoor terrarium and can now be seen in a larger exhibit in the Critter Encounters area. Komodo dragons can grow to be over nine feet in length and weigh around 200 pounds. Katie Gregory

After some renovations to their habitat, African crested porcupines can be seen again along the Nashville Zoo’s Jungle Loop Trail. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines don’t "shoot" their quills. When threatened, African crested porcupines will defend themselves by raising quills and charging backward into disturbers. Amiee Stubbs

A rhinoceros hornbill calls out along the Nashville Zoo’s Bamboo Trail. Rhino hornbills are threatened in their native Southeast Asia homeland. The Nashville Zoo has successfully hatched 11 rhino hornbill chicks in the past several years, more than any other zoological organization in the United States. Amiee Stubbs

Kangaroo Kickabout at the Nashville Zoo is also home to four triton cockatoos. This subspecies of the sulfur-crested cockatoo is native to New Guinea and the islands that surround it. Amiee Stubbs

A meerkat fulfills her job as sentry. Within the group (called a mob), each meerkat has a function. Some keep watch, others take care of young, some forage for food. Amiee Stubbs

Our lone okapi explores his outdoor enclosure located away from public viewing at the Nashville Zoo. Amiee Stubbs

Bahari, a male Siamang, savors a monkey biscuit on the Nashville Zoo’s Gibbon Islands. The Siamang is the largest of the 17 different gibbon species. Amiee Stubbs

A ring-tailed lemur finishes up a treat in his habitat along the Bamboo Trail at the Nashville Zoo. The zoo has four male ring-tailed lemurs but guests may only see two or three on exhibit. Keepers are trying to introduce all four together while minimalizing the males’ aggressive tendencies. Amiee Stubbs

More new faces were added to the Nashville Zoo's Africa field as three springbok were added late last week. Springbok are native to southwest Africa and get their name from the way the males jump and arch their backs to impress the females. Dr. Margarita Woc Colburn

A kangaroo sunbathes on the porch of her Kangaroo Kickabout home at the Nashville Zoo. Kangaroos often rest in this position because they can quickly push up and hop away if needed. Amiee Stubbs

A Yellow-Blotched Map Turtle basks inside its habitat at the Nashville Zoo's Unseen New World exhibit. Amiee Stubbs

The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest owls with a wing span of more than 6 feet. The Nashville Zoo’s eagle-owl is trained to fly during summer animal shows and is also taken to area schools for educational purposes. Amiee Stubbs

Two meerkats huddle together as runners pass their exhibit during Saturday’s Zoo Run Run. Amiee Stubbs

Phayara, a young red panda explores her habitat located along the Bamboo Trail section of the Nashville Zoo. Amiee Stubbs

Two male kangaroos “box” inside the Nashville Zoo’s Kangaroo Kickabout. Males will often engage in this type of fighting to establish dominance and hierarchy and are rarely injured in the process. Amiee Stubbs

A ring-tailed lemur perches on a branch inside his Bamboo Trail habitat. Ring-tails are arguably the most recognized of the 105 lemur species. The Nashville Zoo is home to bachelor group of four ring-tailed lemurs. Amiee Stubbs

Layla, the Nashville Zoo's only reticulated giraffe, nibbles on a tuft of grass. Reticulated giraffes have a slightly different skin pattern than the other three Masai giraffes at the zoo. Amiee Stubbs

A goat leans over a fence at the Nashville Zoo’s petting zoo in an attempt to sample the decorative landscape. Amiee Stubbs

Charlie, a 4-year old prehensile-tailed porcupine takes a nibble from a tiny pumpkin. Amiee Stubbs

Stephanie White shows off a Harris hawk featured at the Nashville Zoo's educational animal encounters where guests have a chance to get up close to a variety of creatures throughout the day. Amiee Stubbs

A young Komodo dragon sneaks a sideways glance at the photographer. This female will eventually lose her yellow highlights as she grows to her mature length of 7-9 feet. For the next few months, visitors can see our two young dragons in the Unseen New World building Amiee Stubbs

A Caribbean flamingo rests by placing its bill along its back. There are six species of flamingo found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. However, only the Caribbean is found in North America. Amiee Stubbs

The term “personal space” is not recognized by Goldie lorikeets. Inside Lorikeet Landing, Zoo guests get an up-close experience with these and other lorikeet sub-species. Amiee Stubbs

The Nashville Zoo's elephant image is purposely grey to celebrate tomorrow’s World Elephant Day. AZA zoo’s across the country are “Going Grey” to bring attention to the plight of elephants in the wild (read more at www.96elephants.org).
Tomorrow, Nashville Zoo will post grey images on our social media sites, elephant keepers will offer two keeper talks at 11 and 2:30, and for each guest visiting us tomorrow, the Zoo will donate $1 to elephant conservation. Amiee Stubbs

Our male Eurasian lynx lounges on a platform while his mate explores in the background. Those distinctive black ear tufts aid in his hearing. Amiee Stubbs

Congo, the Nashville Zoo's male giraffe, uses his tongue to strip leaves from a tree branch hanging in our giraffe exhibit. Keepers will often offer cut branches or “browse” giving the giraffes something to nibble on throughout the day. Amiee Stubbs

A dwarf caiman floats at the water line waiting for a possible meal. Found in Central and South America, this relative of the alligator grows to about 4 or 5 feet and eats mostly aquatic animals and bugs. Amiee Stubbs

This alpaca can be found in our Critter Encounters exhibit. Native to the Andes in South America, this species is largely domesticated and raised, in part, for its coat. Unlike sheep’s wool, alpaca fiber is softer, warmer and does not contain lanolin making it ‘hypoallergenic.’ Amiee Stubbs

This red-tailed triggerfish can be found in a large reef tank inside our Unseen New World exhibit. Triggerfish get their name from a dorsal spine that sticks out and locks into place in defense. That spine can only be unlocked by depressing or “triggering” a second spine. Amiee Stubbs

A young, male cassowary cools off in his new habitat. During these hot, summer days zookeepers will often provide misting hoses, sprinklers and pools for the animals. Amiee Stubbs

Rainbow lorikeets preen each other inside the Nashville Zoo's Lorikeet Landing. Guests visiting this popular exhibit can opt to feed cups of nectar to lorikeets who soak it up with their bottle brush-like tongue. Amiee Stubbs

A 4-year-old, white-cheeked gibbon named Ari shows off her swinging skills. Keepers are taking more pictures of Ari these days as she sexually matures, turning from a brunette to a blonde. Amiee Stubbs

Two red river hogs forage for treats in their African Savanna habitat on May 10. In the wild, red river hogs will eat just about anything including roots, seeds, grass, nuts, fungi, insects, reptiles, birds, eggs and even sheep and goats. They’ll also breathe on each other as a form of greeting. Good morning! Amiee Stubbs